Fu-Te Ni and Eddie Bonine are closing in on bullpen spots for Tigers

TAMPA -- Left-handed reliever Bobby Seay is questionable for the Detroit Tigers' opening-day roster while coming back from a shoulder layoff, and it’s not clear when middle reliever Zach Miner can return from elbow problems.

So, where does that leave the Detroit Tigers’ bullpen with just over two weeks remaining before opening day?

It would appear that Eddie Bonine, assuming he does not start, would take Miner’s place.
Fu-Te Ni very likely becomes the second southpaw reliever with Phil Coke should Seay not be ready.

“(Ni’s) done a good job,” Tigers manager Jim Leyland said before Friday afternoon’s 6-2 loss to the New York Yankees. “I like him; he throws strikes. His delivery is tough to pick up, and they haven’t centered the ball on him a lot. I like him a lot.”

Leyland noted that left-handed batters were .113 against Ni last year in his rookie season. Ni twice retired Minnesota Twins left-handed sluggers Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau back-to-back, and it’s hard to send someone who can do that to Toledo.

Bonine’s past two outings have been only one inning apiece, while most starters are going three and four innings now.

“He’s a candidate to make the pitching staff,” Leyland said. “How that works out, I don’t know. But he’s a nice guy to have because he’s versatile.”

“Seay’s probably not going to be ready,” Leyland said, “and Miner’s hurt. When they say 10 days, it usually means 15. ... You improvise and look elsewhere.”

One rookie who could force his way onto the staff like Perry did last spring is hard-throwing right-hander Robbie Weinhardt. He has allowed one run on six hits in seven innings (1.29 ERA) with two walks and three strikeouts.

"He's got that big-time sinker and is a legitimate No. 1 prospect," Leyland said. "He's got to improve on his breaking ball, but he's good."

Weinhardt, a 10th-round pick from Oklahoma State in 2008, led the Arizona Fall League in strikeouts last year.

Thomas (3.86 ERA) has pitched more effectively than Schlereth (13.50 ERA), but neither has pitched their way onto the staff.

Leyland on Schlereth: “I see good stuff and still a little crude. He hasn’t pitched much (58 innings) in pro ball. He has a very nice arm and the makings of a very nice curveball. He’s got a lot of good equipment to work with, but he’s a project.”

Schlereth was a first-round pick out of the University of Arizona in 2008, and Detroit got him in December from the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Curtis Granderson-Edwin Jackson trade that also involved the New York Yankees.

Thomas is a free agent who has played in Japan and Korea since last pitching for the Minnesota Twins in 2004.

“Yesterday was the best for him,” Leyland said. “He was tuned in and up from a velocity standpoint. His breaking ball was just OK. But it’s a real sensitive thing. We don’t know that much about him.”

Leyland has not ruled out having the odd-man out in the starting rotation competition in the bullpen. Jeremy Bonderman, Nate Robertson and Dontrelle Willis are the strongest contenders for two spots.

Figuring on the setup men before Valverde is another key decision for Leyland, and Coke is settling into a late-inning role. He led the Yankees with 72 appearances last year, pitching mostly in the seventh inning.

Coke had given up a run in three consecutive appearances, but struck out former Yankees teammate Alex Rodriguez before getting Robinson Cano to fly out and former Tiger Marcus Thames to ground out in the fifth inning.

“It was my first time facing Alex in batting practice or anywhere,” Coke said. “He was tracking my slider and catching the spin on it.”

Coke got him to wave at a changeup for strike three.

“He had a choice word or two for me,” Coke said.

He said it felt like he was throwing early training camp batting practice to the Yankees the last time he faced them. Coke said he had to learn to face them as foes and now is making that separation.

“It wasn’t like batting practice this time,” he said. “It was three up and three down, and I hadn’t had one of those. I’m feeling better physically, and my mechanics are cleaning up pretty good now.”